Pros & cons
PROS
- Toilets and reception right by the parking make logistics easy
- A true five-minute detour from SH94—ideal mid-drive leg stretch
CONS
- Car park can have a sewage smell due to nearby infrastructure
- Trailhead is unintuitive; easy to miss without asking directions
At the Knobs Flat complex on SH94; first left after the toilets, park along the rear fence. From the car park, walk back toward the main Knobs Flat gravel road and turn left to start.
Fiordland weather changes fast—carry a rain layer year-round. Surfaces can be slick when wet. The trail start is easy to miss; ask at reception if unsure. Expect a sewage smell in the car park area only.
This is a very short, very easy nature-style walk at Knobs Flat along Milford Road (SH94). It’s a leg-stretcher more than a destination: a mellow wander through the trees to a small waterfall near the valley floor of the Eglinton/Knobs Flat area. If you’re on a tight Milford Sound schedule, it’s a handy pit stop that adds a little nature without eating your day.
Expect a quiet forest track and a modest falls; the wider Knobs Flat area is also known for open views across the Eglinton Valley if you want to pause at the roadside viewpoint before or after the walk. This track is sometimes referred to as the Knobs Flat Waterfall Track.
The route is an out-and-back of about 0.66 miles total, typically 20 minutes return at a casual pace. The start can be unintuitive: from the Knobs Flat complex, look for the first left after the toilets and park along the fence at the back. From there, walk back toward the main Knobs Flat gravel road and turn left to pick up the track. If you’re unsure, pop into reception and ask—saves a false start. Toilets are on-site.
Best time to hike: year-round. Fiordland weather is famously unpredictable, so bring a rain layer regardless of season. Wet days can actually improve the waterfall, but expect slick surfaces. If road or weather conditions are questionable, check locally at Knobs Flat or with DOC before you go.
Who will like it: families and road-trippers who want a quick nature fix. If you’re hunting for a big, dramatic hike, this isn’t it—treat it as a pleasant stop on the Milford Road rather than a marquee outing.
Wildlife on this trail
Near Knobs Flat Nature Walk
All places →All trails →
Milford Sound / PiopiotahiIconic fiord of sheer cliffs, thunderous falls, and frequent wildlifeParking · Restroom
Mitre PeakNew Zealand’s most iconic fiord peak rising straight out of the sea
Mitre Peak ViewpointThe classic Milford Sound shot of Mitre Peak across calm waterParking · Scenic Viewpoint
Doubtful Sound / PateaRemote, hushed fiord with waterfalls and dolphins, reached by tour onlyScenic Viewpoint
Milford TrackFour days of rainforest, alpine pass, and waterfalls to Milford SoundChallenging · 33.2 mi · 22 hr
Routeburn TrackA classic 20 mile alpine traverse with huts, lakes, and big views.Challenging · 20 mi · 24 hr
Kepler TrackA classic 60 km loop: airy ridges, beech forests, and lake shores.Challenging · 37.3 mi · 30 hrKepler Track to Mount LuxmoreForest-to-alpine sprint with Fiordland’s best bang-for-buck viewsChallenging · 11 mi · 6.5 hr
